Gaff guard



Patented Apr. 22, 1947 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE GAFF GUARD Aubrey Minney, Santa Rosa, Calif. Application November 18, 1945, Serial No. 628,270

6 Claims.

This invention relates to a gall guard for th gaff on a climbing iron.

- The conventional type of gaffs or spikes on the linemans climbing irons are triangular in crosssection with one sharp edge or apex facing outwardly and the flat base facing the flat climbing iron adjacent the stirrup portion of the iron. The downwardly and outwardly directed point of each gaff is extremely sharp and is kept sharp so as to positively bite into the pole.

In view of the many accidents that have occurred while the linemen wear the irons, such as gaffing their legs or cutting their boots, some companies forbid'their use except in the field when actually in use. However, in the field the linemen may be compelled to traverse rough ground or to walk through brush or heavy weed growth, and such walking is so hazardous when the irons are worn that their removal is ordered or at least, recommended. All this results in con siderable loss in time.

Heretofore many attempts have been made to cover the gaff, but these attempts have generally been unsatisfactory for various reasons. Either the guard is not held in position with adequate structure, or weeds or brush become entangled in exposed springs, or swinging arms, or the sharp outer edge of the gait is exposed to being nicked by rocks in rough ground, etc, or the guard is pivotally supported so as to become accidentally dislodged either when in operative or inoperative position, or the means used is too complicated to be practicaL or the climbing iron is weakened in providing for the attachment. There are only a few ofthe objections.

"The main objectof this invention is the provision ofagaff guard that is economical to make and easy toinstall on a conventional climbing iron, and which guard overcomes all of the above noted objections.

By the use of my invention the gaff point and outer edge are well protected, and there areno exposed parts that are liable to catch in brush or that may tend to reduce the efficiency of the climbing iron. Nor does the installation of the gait guard weaken the climbing iron at the juncture between thestirrup portion and the leg portion of the iron where the greatest strength is required. The mere drilling of a hole in the leg portion of the iron and: the tapping of such hole to receive a screw on the guard device is the only change that is: required in the. conventional climbing iron.

Otherobjects and advantages will appear in the-drawings and in the description.

7 In; the drawings:

Fig. 1 is -a, fragmentary elevational view of the lower portion of a climbing iron showing my invention thereon in inoperative position.

Fig. 2 is an elevational view of a conventional climbing iron as seen at right angles to the view of Fig. 1 with my invention indicated in operative gaff guarding position.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional view taken along line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary elevational view, partly in section, that shows the guard of Fig. 2 in inoperative position.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken along line 5-5 of Fig. 2.

Fig. .6 is an enlarged plan view of the cap coverin the upper end of the receiver for the gait guard. 1

In detail, I indicates the climbing iron of the conventional type, which climbing iron is formed with a leg portion 2 and a stirrup portion 3, the latter being adapted to extend across the underside of the instep of the foot. The usual eyes 4, 5 are provided for the straps that secure the iron to the leg, such straps being omitted, although it is understood that the eye 4 which is on the'outer end of the stirrup section, carries the strap that is adapted to extend around the leg and leg iron just above the gaff.

The gait" itself is indicated at 6, the base of which is preferably substantially integrally connected with the climbing iron at about the point of the juncture between the lower end of said leg portion and the stirrup portion 2. At or adjacent this base end of the gaff is the weakest part of the iron, and it is unaltered by applicant.

When the climbing irons are in position on the wearer the leg portion 2 of the irons are along the adjacent sides of the legs of the wearer. The gaff 6 is of the conventional type, being triangular in cross-sectional contour with the apexial side 'lbeing relatively sharp and facing outwardly relative to the iron, while the fiat base side 8 faces the iron.

The gaff guard of this invention comprises a flat metal strap or base member if! that formed with a loop l l at its lower end. The inner edges of this loop portion define a contour that corresponds with the cross-sectional contour of the base end of the gaff, and the gaff 6 is adapted to extend through the loopopening. Inasmuch as the climbing iron usually curves outwardly from a point adjacent the upper side of the base of the gaff, as seen in Fig. 2, the loop of the base member It should also curve in direction longitudinally of the said member so as to lie tight against the fiat side of the climbing iron. However, member I!) is of fairly light gauge sheet metal, therefore, if the gaif is inserted through the loop and the loop is coplanar with the rest of the member, the said loop will tightly automatically bend to fit against the climbing iron upon the upper end of the member being swung to a position against the leg portion 2 of the iron. A screw l2 extending through the upper end of member ID and into the leg iron at a point well above'the gaff will then hold the member ID in position on the leg iron. Thus there is no weakening of the iron at any point near the gaff, which is important.

On the outer side of member l0, and extending longitudinally thereof, is a receiver I5 that is in the form of an elongated channel strip l6 that is V-shape in cross-sectional contour, and which strip is secured at its edges to the base member Hi. In fact, it is preferably formed integral with the base member as shown in Fig. 3. Thus the base member. and the extension [5 that forms the strip overlying the same, combine to form an elongated tube extending along the side of the climbing iron above the gafi, the lower open end of said tube being directed toward the gaff.

Telescopically slidable into the tubular receiver I6 is a gaif guard H, which gaff guard is in the form of an elongated channel member that is V- shape in cross-sectional contour, the sides of which are adjacent the sides of the channel strip of the receiver l1 and the open side of member I! faces the base member ID (Fig. 3).

The upper open end of the tubular receiver It: may be closed by a triangular cap (Figs. 5, 6) having a recessed central portion [8 that is adapted to fit in the upper end of the tube, and which portion may be formed with a struck out central portion l9 adapted to be engaged by the hooked end of a coil spring 20 (Fig. 5).

The other end of said spring is adapted to engage the upper end of the channel member l1. Spring 20 functions to yieldably hold the channel member I! in a retracted position substantially fully enclosed within the tubular receiver and free from the guard so the operator may use the climbing irons without interference from the guard.

The lower end of the channel member is slightly enlarged and swaged over to close the lower end of said member and to form a socket 2! (Fig. 4) adapted to receive the pointed end of the gaif 4 therein and to cover said end when the member l1 is'drawn downwardly against the resistance of spring 20 to an extended position. The spring will then function to hold the member 11 over the gaif with the pointed'end of the gafi in the socket 2|.

When the channel member is in said extended position, the sharp edge of the gaif will be fully protected since it is in the channel member I1 along the bottom or apex of the V-shaped contour of said member.

By reason of the structure above described it will be seen that the spring 20 is fully enclosed within the tubular receiver 15 at all times, and if it should break, the cap I8 is readily removed for reattaching a new spring. There are no exposed portions that are likely to catch on brush, weeds, etc., and the sharp edge of the gaff is protected at all times against being blunted or nicked or against cutting the wearer. All that is required to position the guard over the gaff is to pull it out to extended position and then release it after the socket 2| is moved over the point. To

remove the guard, the wearer merely pulls the member I! out sufficient to swing the closed end of the channel clear of the point and then release the member. There is ample play between the tubular receiver l5 and member H to permit movement of the outer end of the member I1 to and from a position in which the point of the gaff is in socket 2|.

I claim:

1. A gaff guard for the gaff on a climbing iron comprising an elongated gaff covering member and an elongated receiver having walls forming a housing into which said member is telescopically slidable from an extended position projecting from one end of said receiver to a retracted position substantially enclosed within the latter, means for securing said receiver to a climbing iron above the gaff of such iron for movement of said member downwardly from said retracted position clear of said gaff to said extended position in which the said member covers said gaff, means connected to said member including a part engageable with the outer end of said gaff for releasably holding said member in said extended position when said receiver and said member are secured to a climbing iron.

2. A gaff guard for the gaif on a climbing iron comprising an elongated gaff covering member and an elongated receiver into which said member is telescopically slidable from an extended position projecting from one end of said receiver to a retracted position substantially enclosed within the latter, means for securing said receiver to a climbing iron above the gaff of such iron for movement of said member downwardly from said retracted position clear of said gaff to said extended position in which the said member covers said gaff, a spring connecting between said member and said receiver for yieldably holding said member in said retracted position and for urging said member toward said retracted position when the said member is in extended position, and means on said member releasably engageable with the said gaff when said member is in said extended position for holding said member against being moved into said receiver under the influence of said spring.

3. A gafi guard for the gaff on a climbing iron comprising an elongated gaff covering member and an elongated receiver into which said member is telescopically slidable from an extended position projecting from one end of said receiver to a retracted position substantially enclosed. within the latter, means for securing said receiver to a climbing iron above the gaif of such iron for movement of said member downwardly from said retracted position clear of said gaff to said extended position in which the said member covers said gaff, said member being of channel shape with its open side facing said gafi and adapted to receive said gafi in said open side when said member is in said extended position, and means for holding said gaff in said extended position including a portion on said member that is adapted to extend over the point ofthe gaff.-

4. A gaff guard for the gaff on a climbing iron comprising an elongated member formed at one end with a socket for receiving the pointed end of the gaif therein when said member is in a position extending alongside the gaff, means for supporting said member in said position on a climb-' ing iron, said means including a receiver slidably supporting the member for longitudinal movement of the latter from said position to a position clear of the gaff, means for securing said receiver to a climbing iron above the gafi so said movement to said last mentioned position will be upward, and means for holding said member in said last mentioned position and in said position in which the point of the gaff is in said socket, said means for securing said receiver to said iron including an elongated base element on the receiver formed with a loop at one end adapted to encircle the gaff adjacent the base and thereof and a screw for securing the opposite end to the climbing iron at a point spaced above the gall.

5. A gafi guard for the gaff on a, climbing iron comprising an elongated member formed at one end with a socket for receiving the pointed end of the gaff therein when said member is in a position extending alongside the gaff, means for supporting said member in said position on a climbin iron, said means including a receiver slidably supporting the member for longitudinal movement of the latter from said position to a position clear of the gaff, means for securing said receiver to a climbing iron above the gafi so said movement to said last mentioned position will be upward, and means for holding said member in said last mentioned position and in said position in which the point of the gafi is in said socket comprising a spring secured at one end to said receiver and at the opposite end to said member, and said receiver being tubular and elongated for enclosing said member upon movement of the latter to said position clear of the said gafi, and said spring being fully enclosed by said receiver.

6. In combination with a climbing iron having a vertical leg portion and a gaff projecting down- 6 wardly and laterally from the lower end of said portion, a flat elongated base element formed with an aperture in its lower end through which said gaff projects, said gaff securing the said lower end against the part of the leg iron adjacent the base end of the gaff, said base element extending upwardly from said gaff and against said leg portion, means for securing the upper end of said element to said leg portion, an elongated channel member extending longitudinally of said base element and slidable on the side of the latter that faces outwardly of said leg portion from a, retracted position above said gafi to an extended position over said gaff, the open side of said member being adapted to receive said gaff therein when said member is in said extended position, gafi engaging means at the lower end of said channel member for engagement with the gafi over its pointed lower end, means for yieldably holding said gaff in its retracted position and for yieldably holding said gafi engaging means in engagement with the gaff over its pointed end when said member is in said extended position.

AUBREY MINNEY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED sTA'ngs PATENTS 

